The Uchiha Problem
by Sarah1281
Summary: Danzo was never pleased about the loose end that Sasuke represented but he could live with it. Three years of the kid living it up with the killer of their Hokage later, 'not pleased' might be a bit of an understatement. Tsunade could never understand just why Danzo didn't push for Sasuke to be in the Bingo Book but Itachi is really being quite unreasonable about the matter.


The Uchiha Problem

Note: Keep in mind, Danzo's view on the situation may not always be perfectly in line with how it is and Itachi's not about to tell Danzo of all people that he has Shisui's eye and is planning on using genjutsu on Sasuke if things go wrong.

Danzo had had one persistent headache for what seemed like the whole of his life and that headache went by the name Uchiha.

It was one thing when the village had first been founded and everybody harbored doubts about the Uchiha. He grew up with those doubts all around them and, given what the Uchiha clan head Madara had done, it all made perfect sense to him. And Madara was supposed to be a friend of the first Hokage! If even a close, personal friendship with the Hokage couldn't keep the Uchiha from going mad and deciding to kill everyone then what could?

He hadn't wanted to believe that the Uchiha were just irredeemably evil at first. There were a lot of them in the village and they had, reluctantly, agreed to settle down with the Senju and create Konoha. There would be no village without them and his own clan wouldn't have been able to make that alliance and find peace and stability themselves. Half of the village just being ticking time bombs was a rather disconcerting thought and, in fairness, he had known many Uchiha who had died bravely to defend their new home. There were even a few who died peacefully having never betrayed anyone.

But. But that just meant that they had been fortunate enough to live a life untested. These good Uchiha never had a reason to snap and, while not plotting against Konoha was to be commended, he didn't see how their lack of motive said anything about the Uchiha who were given a motive. How could anyone possibly pursue the path of a ninja and be trusted to never be pushed to the edge? Even the most stable of individuals could snap under the right pressure and the Uchiha were clearly not the most stable of individuals.

They refused to explain any of the secrets of their Sharingan, of course, and Danzo could understand their fear since they clearly did not trust the village and did not want to give them another weapon when the Senju and Uchiha broke apart once more. The second Hokage, Tobirama, was a genius however and he soon figured them out. It was strange to think that a clan as distant and seemingly apathetic as the Uchiha were actually the most emotional and loving clan but he had always thought that it was emotions that led to betrayals and instability. It was why those in Root had needed to be purged of them.

The Uchiha were so proud of their Sharingan and it was, Danzo could readily admit, one of the more impressive kekkai genkais. They believed it was a good sign when it manifested early and an indication of great potential. They were fools. Tobirama wasn't even an Uchiha and he still saw that it was a manifestation of trauma. The Sharingan made the Uchiha more powerful but the younger they achieved it the earlier they were exposed to horrific things and the more likely it was that they would not be able to handle them in the future and would snap. The less said about the Mangekyou Sharingan born of guilt when someone close to them died and the fact the Uchiha interpreted that to mean they should go kill the people they care about the better.

The Uchiha may have protested the fact that nobody trusted them but how could one possibly trust a clan like that? It was Danzo's job to ensure that the village was protected from _any _threat, even if that threat was a part of the village itself, not to coddle little threats in the making who hadn't actually committed to treason yet. It had been so obvious at the time and it still seemed obvious to him but as time passed and no new Madara had risen up that mistrust had begun to fade.

He couldn't blame the civilians for failing to be vigilant. It was difficult to maintain appropriate levels of watchfulness when the Uchiha consistently failed to do anything to do deserve it. He couldn't even blame the shinobi who really ought to know better for following the lead of their Hokage. Hashirama may have secretly wanted to be an Uchiha or something but he had always found Tobirama much more reasonable. Danzo hadn't even been one of Tobirama's students and he had still absorbed that lesson far better than Hiruzen ever had.

In a way, the massacre could be laid at Hiruzen's feet. It was such an ugly thing to have to happen and so high-profile but what else could be done after years of appeasement and ignoring the very real dangers the Uchiha trying to overthrow the government because they didn't control everything posed? If Hiruzen had been a bit more vigilant and snipped the whole thing in the buzz maybe Konoha wouldn't have had to lose their Sharingan.

Itachi, at least, was one of the good Uchiha but even he had snapped, hadn't he? Not killing innocent eight-year-old Sasuke had been Danzo's own gift to him but he rather thought Itachi overdid it with the traumatizing him. It was foolish to be concerned for one little boy's well-being when the very fate of Konoha had been at stake but…traumatized little boys don't always grow up so well. And while Danzo could – reluctantly – appreciate Itachi's need to make sure Sasuke was still safe in a Hiruzen-less Konoha (not that he bothered staying long enough for that to be an issue) he honestly didn't see why putting the child in yet another coma was necessary. Or sane. He certainly blamed that for Sasuke running off with Orochimaru at the first opportunity. He had kept eyes on the last Uchiha and was reasonably certain he wasn't inclined to commit treachery before he had his little familial reunion.

Now Sasuke had been openly living with the man who had killed Hiruzen and having his very soft head filled with who even knew what? It enraged Danzo on a personal that a man he had still somehow been able to call friend and who he always knew, ever since _that _day, would one day give his life for Konoha had been killed and the killer unpunished and the new traitor not even called what he was. He had years of experience pushing the personal aside but that didn't take away the sting.

Orochimaru was still out there and no one was even sure if he could be killed. At least he was named for what he was, Hokage killer and treacherous student of the worst kind, even if his position was too strong to attack at this particular juncture. Sasuke, though. _Sasuke_. The fact that he had turned out to be nothing more than just another Uchiha, in the end, who thought nothing of betraying Konoha for power and they couldn't even acknowledge it galled him more than he'd like to admit.

Even Tsunade, a Senju but made soft by her losses and years away from the village, was starting to get suspicious about Sasuke's special treatment for all her little apprentice and surrogate grandson appreciated it.

"I know we've discussed this before, Danzo," Tsunade said slowly, flipping through the Bingo Book on her desk absently. "The circumstances behind Sasuke's defection were troubling. It makes sense that after weeks in a coma reliving the massacre of his clan he would be just vulnerable enough to be snapped up by Orochimaru's minions. He was just a child and didn't really have any idea of what he was doing. And while Naruto won't talk about what happened, if he were unconscious and Sasuke left then he could have killed him and didn't. That's a good sign, for all most would have died of their wounds anyway."

"All of that is true."

"But it has been three years," Tsunade said pointedly. "He has been at large for three years training under Orochimaru. He shows no sign of wanting to return and I can't imagine he's gained any more loyalty to Konoha than he had when he left. Why is it, exactly, you don't want to put him in the Bingo Book?"

"It isn't necessary," Danzo said, the words tasting like ash. "He has not attacked Konoha or done anything but stay in Oto and train."

"Yes but how long is that going to last?" Tsunade demanded. "I admit, I feel bad for the kid but he's not going to be a kid for much longer. He's not that injured little orphan anymore and don't tell me that it's sentiment stopping you now because I won't believe it."

"You may believe what you like, Hokage-sama," Danzo said simply.

"How long can this go on before we're forced to acknowledge the fact that Sasuke left this life behind years ago?" Tsunade demanded. "How long before he does something that he shouldn't and starts an international incident? There's a reason that those who desert are listed as such and hunted down and it's not just fear that our secrets could end up in the wrong hands though the Sharingan is certainly a valuable secret. If he's not labeled a missing-nin then anything he does will be laid at our door and we cannot control him."

"We will deal with that when it comes up," Danzo said, hoping that that at least would allow them to acknowledge what Sasuke did. "In the meantime, being labeled as a missing-nin is a very serious occasion and a glorified running away from home because of family issues doesn't merit that kind of step. Do you really believe that Sasuke should die because he sought training from our enemies? If he goes further than that then it is a different story but for now he's not a threat to anybody except Itachi."

Tsunade sighed. "I suppose not. Sasuke is a unique case but just how much longer are we going to just pretend it never happened? I'm worried that it's making the village look bad."

When even Tsunade was worrying about things like this then it really was getting serious but what could he do?

"If he wasn't content to become stronger here he won't be content to remain with Orochimaru forever," Danzo said finally. "If his body is stolen then it will be a disaster but it will mean that Konoha will not be blamed for what Orochimaru does with that body. If he escapes that fate, I can't imagine him having any other target than Itachi whom he will kill or die trying. If he's dead then we no longer need to worry about him. If Itachi should be the one to die then we'll see what happens then."

The moment it was confirmed that Itachi was dead then Sasuke would no longer have that protection and he would be entering the Bingo Book. The only thing that could stop him would be if Sasuke were to, against all odds, return to Konoha and be hailed a hero. But that wasn't anything that couldn't be handled and assassinations existed for a reason.

Danzo returned to his office and found the more annoying of his headaches waiting for him.

When he had been proven right about the Uchiha's inherent treachery once news of their planned coup reached him he had tried not to gloat too much. It made one insufferable and being right wasn't a good thing. At least they had agreed with him about the Uchiha then.

Now that there were only two or possibly three (because this 'Tobi' who claimed to be Madara could really be anyone with a Sharingan. It wasn't like Danzo's eleven stolen Sharingan made him an Uchiha, after all) Uchiha left in existence he would have thought they'd be less annoying but they weren't. If Itachi could be counted upon, and he usually could, then Tobi was to blame for the devastating Kyuubi attack that was probably the spark that set off the coup in the first place. Sasuke should have been the most irritating Uchiha as he had betrayed them so callously and was flaunting his not quite missing-nin status at every turn. But no, strangely it was the loyal one that was giving him the most problems with his refusal to face reality on the matter of his brother.

Itachi bowed his head respectfully but Danzo wasn't fooled for a second. "Danzo-sama."

Danzo gazed impassively back at him. "Itachi."

"The Akatsuki will be ready to begin collecting the Bijuu soon though I cannot say exactly when," Itachi informed him. "Fortunately, they must be collected in order and so there will be some time before they come for Konoha's Jinchuriki."

Danzo nodded. "We can only hope their plans fizzle out before they go that far or that Naruto proves more capable once he returns to the village but either way we have some time."

Itachi studied him carefully.

Danzo had made a career of being impassive and impossible to read but there was always something about Uchiha eyes, even when the Sharingan wasn't present. He forced himself to remain still.

"You wish to discuss Sasuke."

Or perhaps he was projecting. Danzo couldn't imagine that he got many opportunities to go on about his beloved younger brother. "Tsunade has once more suggested that we add him to the Bingo Book."

"No."

"Itachi-"

"No."

"Are you not even going to hear me out?" Danzo asked, annoyed.

Itachi inclined his head. "I can if you like but I think we both know that it will be a wasted effort. My little brother will not become a missing-nin."

"He already _is _a missing-nin," Danzo said tetchily. "Everybody knows it. They all heard how he's off with Orochimaru in that made-up village of his and Orochimaru is certainly celebrating the coup."

Perhaps it was insensitive to use that word around Itachi of all people but his refusal to face reality was rather draining.

"Aren't all villages essentially made up?" Itachi asked. "What is the difference between Orochimaru's attempt and Konoha or any of the other villages?"

"Longevity, for one," Danzo replied. "Maybe in thirty years if it is still around I could concede it was a real village, even if I know that I won't be around to see it. And the other villages were all founded by actual clans and had civilians. This 'Otogakure' is nothing more than a collection of bases and a testament to one man's narcissism and fear of death."

"And yet I do believe they were allowed to enter the Chuunin Exams," Itachi said.

"The only Chuunin Exam they ever attended was the one that ended in the invasion and I think we all can guess just why they were thrown up against your brother," Danzo said pointedly. "And having Chuunin is one way to legitimacy so no new village will ever be barred from attending."

Itachi merely blinked at him. "Sasuke is a foolish child but he is no traitor."

"How exactly are you defining treason?" Danzo demanded. "Orochimaru killed the Third Hokage and continues to be an active enemy of this village. If Hiruzen had not sacrificed his life to seal Orochimaru's arms then I have no doubt we'd have seen another attack by now."

"But he did and we haven't," Itachi pointed out. "Orochimaru may be an enemy of this village but Sasuke is not. It is unfortunate that things have played out this way but Sasuke leaving Konoha does not mean that our deal is invalid."

"I agreed to let an innocent child live and Sasuke is becoming less and less that child every day," Danzo snapped.

"You don't know that," Itachi said calmly. "I think the fact that he has stayed in Oto all this time proves that he's not the traitor you think he is."

"I would know more about it than you do," Danzo said. "I may not have seen him personally but I do have my spies. I will concede that he has yet to actually kill anyone despite Orochimaru trying really very hard to make that happen but it really is only a matter of time."

"I do hope he gets away from Orochimaru soon," Itachi said. If he were anybody else he'd look worried. "It's simply not safe and I don't think he's a good influence on my brother."

"It's all your fault he's even there in the first place," Danzo complained, rubbing his temple.

Itachi's eyes flashed. "I don't see how you can make that claim. I never wanted him to leave Konoha and if he was going to do that then Orochimaru is the last haven I'd want to see him at."

Danzo actually gave into the impulse to roll the eye he could move. "It doesn't matter what your _intentions _were, Itachi, and I don't see how Sasuke could possibly know where you want him to live. Not that knowing you wanted him to stay here would convince me of anything as he'd probably assume you wanted to stop him from achieving his full power or something. I say this is all your fault because before you came crashing back into his life he was content to stay where he was. He ran off the day he woke up. Do not tell me this is a coincidence and if Naruto hadn't managed to pull off a miracle and bring Tsunade back to Konoha he might _still _be in a coma. I'm sure you'd have liked that even less."

Itachi looked away. "I hadn't intended to see him again."

"You were in Konoha. You had to know it was a possibility," Danzo said flatly.

"We were avoiding detection. If he hadn't come to protect Naruto then it would never have happened."

Was that how he saw it? It was impossible to be sure but Danzo rather thought it was more likely that Sasuke had come in a haze of vengeance and tried to kill his brother, never mind that it was obvious he wasn't ready, and gave no thought to the supposed best friend who went all out to save him and whom he later attempted to kill for the Mangekyou. That was Itachi's biggest problem, really. He couldn't accept that Sasuke was no longer that innocent eight-year-old even while he continued to just make Sasuke's mental issues worse.

"But he did come and you did, according to reports, effortlessly break his wrist, use the Tsukuyomi on him again, and actually tell him he lacked hatred despite all the contradictory reports from his jounin sensei talking about how they had just gotten him to think about something other than vengeance for five minutes."

"And what exactly was I supposed to do?" Itachi demanded. "I had to come back to Konoha and discuss what the Hokage's death meant for Sasuke. Don't even pretend that that wasn't necessary. His death was unexpected so, unlike these little visits, I didn't have time to find a way to be missing for a few days. I wouldn't be able to get away and so I needed an excuse to tell Kisame about why we were here. Observing Naruto was the best reason I had and so we would have to go and see Naruto at some point. Sasuke showed up, unexpectedly, and what was I supposed to do? Just pretend he wasn't there? He did attack me."

"You could have just swatted him away like the fly he was and made him realize that he needed to get stronger that way," Danzo said. "You could have taunted him about how he was never going to be able to kill you at that rate. You could have said something about how strong Kakashi was and that was why you had to use the Mangekyou Sharingan on him so he would realize he could get strong here in Konoha. You could have mentioned how laughably easy it was for you to defeat Orochimaru when he came after your body. You could have done literally anything but fan the flames of his hatred and make him snap and leave."

"I didn't know that he was having confidence issues because of Naruto at the time," Itachi said. "I didn't realize I needed to convince him to stay. And, as you said, anything I said would already be suspect to him. But if I said to leave I couldn't be sure he wouldn't take that advice. I was just trying to encourage him to be stronger."

"And now he's a missing-nin and we can't even acknowledge it," Danzo said bitterly.

"It's better that you don't," Itachi said quietly.

"And why is that?" Danzo asked. "Because you'll destroy this village if I dare?"

"There is that," Itachi agreed, "but we both know you wouldn't risk it. If you declare him a missing-nin you'll have to take action or look weak."

"And we don't look weak by ignoring this treason?" Danzo challenged. "We can't just pretend it's not happening. Your brother is far too high-profile for that and so is his new master."

"You promised to spare Sasuke. You never said anything about doing that conditionally," Itachi told him, annoyed at the mention of Sasuke being subservient to Orochimaru of all people.

"And so what?" Danzo asked angrily. "Am I to be forced to just ignore everything he does?"

"Ignoring him training with Orochimaru does nothing to harm you and is a minor irritant at best and I will not see my brother dead because he _annoys _you," Itachi said fiercely.

"But then what?" Danzo pressed. "What happens when he starts killing? He doesn't even have to kill Konoha shinobi. What if he antagonizes Suna or Kumo or Kiri? Do you really think that he can spend all that time with Orochimaru and then living as a missing-nin hunting you and never do anything to start a diplomatic incident? Will we all have to go to war because you can't stand the thought of your brother facing the consequences of his own actions? And they _are _his actions despite how I'm sure you're just blaming yourself for them all."

"He wouldn't have made them if it hadn't been for me," Itachi pointed out.

Danzo waved a hand dismissively. "Or if your family had been more loyal or if Madara hadn't betrayed Konoha or if the Kyuubi hadn't attacked or if this village hadn't been founded in the first place. If you won't let somebody be held responsible for their own actions unless those decisions were made in a vacuum then you're just never going to be able to hold anyone responsible for their actions."

"Sasuke won't do anything of the sort. He will leave Oto and no matter what state he leaves it in they are all missing-nin or otherwise unaffiliated with a village and so there will be no mess to clean up there. He will hunt for me and it will not be too long before he finds me. All he ever wanted to do was avenge our clan. He would have no reason to pursue anything against Konoha or anyone else."

"As long as he doesn't know the truth," Danzo said darkly. "I think we both know what he would do if he did."

"He won't," Itachi said firmly. "I will never tell him. No one who knows the truth in Konoha will tell him."

"And what about Tobi?"

"I have a plan for dealing with him, too," Itachi replied. "He has been sworn to secrecy but I'm fully aware of just how many promises will die with me."

He didn't look meaningfully at Danzo as he said that but he didn't have to. They both knew what would happen to Sasuke, or what Danzo would intend to happen to Sasuke, once Itachi was no longer standing in the way and Sasuke had already more than earned it. Why Itachi felt the need to throw himself at death and leave Sasuke defenseless given this basic truth was beyond Danzo but then, the Uchiha were what they were and would never change.

"Sasuke is an innocent. He still thinks that this world has justice and good guys and bad guys and once he kills the one who destroyed his life then he will be able to find peace."

Danzo actually laughed at that. As if one who had ever been so shattered at such a young age could ever really recover even if he weren't an Uchiha. "Sasuke an innocent? Are you actually capable of seeing him for how he really is and not as a personification for everything good in this world?"

Itachi's eyes narrowed. "It really does not matter. So long as I live, you will not touch Sasuke."

"And if you are wrong?" Danzo demanded. "What if Sasuke provokes a war or attacks us directly before he kills you? If you're right that he's so impressionable then all this time with Orochimaru cannot have done him any favors. What will you do when it comes down to peace or your little brother?"

"I have already made my decision."

But Itachi didn't elaborate. He had been torn between his clan and Konoha once before but he had chosen both Konoha and Sasuke. Next time he might not be so fortunate and Danzo honestly didn't know which side of the fence he would fall on. Good luck to him if he tried to choose Sasuke, though, given the boy's hatred for him.

"I find things are rarely so dichotomic," Itachi said.

"I cannot keep doing this," Danzo said, suddenly quite weary. "Tsunade does not understand why we have yet to mark Sasuke as a missing-nin and no one else does, either. I cannot keep arguing for his sake particularly as I have no good reason to give. We are not in the habit of letting missing-nin roam free if we don't know that they're hurting other people."

"You are going to have to," Itachi said simply.

"It is making us look weak," Danzo said again. "Orochimaru killed our Hokage and we did nothing. We know where he is and we did nothing. Now Sasuke has gone off to join him and we will not even admit that this happened. We are looking weak and the last time we looked weak Suna invaded. The next invasion might not be able to be dealt with as easily as revealing Orochimaru was actually playing the part of the Kazekage so it was all just a giant misunderstanding."

"That does seem problematic," Itachi agreed. "But, once again Danzo, I posit this to you: Is it more disagreeable to have to find a reason not to target Sasuke when he has done nothing but move or to face the consequences of the truth of the death of my clan coming to light? Even just that will bury you. You would lose all your power and how will the other clans react to learning that they could be ordered assassinated at any time, that Konoha is willing to do that? The details about the coup won't stick with them, especially once they learn of the government's disenfranchisement of the Uchiha beforehand. You are so worried about looking soft yet even you can understand the merits of being seen as the nice one and that reputation won't last once the truth is out. And that is far from the only secret that I know."

"You wouldn't tell them," Danzo said, wishing he was more certain of this. "You chose Konoha over your clan before. I can't imagine you'd make that sacrifice worth nothing by destroying it for the sake of an unstable missing-nin."

"Even had the Uchiha won, war would have broken out and Sasuke could very well have died. He'd have lost his innocence if nothing else and that could not be allowed to happen," Itachi said frankly. "Perhaps if there wasn't the reality that an invasion would happen if Konoha showed that sort of weakness I would have chosen otherwise but it is pointless to speculate. Know that I mean what I say because if I do not then it is an empty threat and I cannot afford to issue those. You ask if I'm willing to see Konoha burn to protect Sasuke? Well I ask you if you're willing to see it just to kill one misguided child?"

Danzo said nothing. There was nothing to say. Itachi had once again made his point. The next time he came back Danzo might try again to convince him and could even have some more unacceptable behavior from someone who was technically still a Konoha shinobi to back him up. He doubted Itachi would be any more amenable to the idea, however.

Itachi let the matter drop as well and returned to his report.

As Danzo listened, his mind idly attempted to come up with a way to see Sasuke dead in a way that would not be traced to him even by a very suspicious Itachi. Even if he couldn't come up with a way, he knew exactly what his first order of business would be once Itachi's body hit the ground.


End file.
